Filed under: Japan , Technology , Toyota We knew this moment would come. Partly because Toyota told us it would back in July, but also because we’ve been watching too many sci-fi movies. The moment in question is when a robot would hold a conversation with a human in outer space. Which may not seem that cataclysmic, but we’re here to point out that a) this is the first time it has ever happened, and b) it could mark the beginning of the apocalypse, wrought on us by robots from outer space. The conversation took place on board the International Space Station between Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency and Kirobo , a foot-tall robot that encompasses the latest advancements in voice-recognition software achieved by Toyota. We can only (but would rather not) imagine what practical applications this might have in the future, but for now, you can watch the landmark event unfold in the video below . Continue reading Kirobo speaks in space with Toyota voice tech Kirobo speaks in space with Toyota voice tech originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink